Rep. Martin Heinrich (D-New Mexico)

Rep. Martin Heinrich (D-New Mexico) joined his colleague in the US Senate, Tom Udall, by offering up legislation aimed at repealing the US Supreme Court decision in the Citizens United case, calling for a Constitutional amendment and would allow Congress to regulate the campaign finance system.

On Monday (Nov. 14), Heinrich joined four other Democratic members of the US House of Representatives by introducing a companion amendment to the one Udall offered in the Senate along with Sen. Michael Bennet (D-Colorado).

Campaign finance reform is a hot-button issue with liberals, who despise the Supreme Court decision in 2010 that found it unconstitutional to regulate the money spent during elections by corporations and unions. “Corporations are not people” is a frequently-seen signs at Occupy Wall Street protests.

The move by Heinrich, who is running for the US Senate seat about to be vacated by the retiring Jeff Bingaman, is sure to gin up his base on the left but it will be interesting to see if Republicans attack Heinrich from the right since two of the other co-sponsors (Jesse Jackson Jr. of Illinois and Jim McDermott of Washington state) are known as a pair of the most liberal members on Capitol Hill.

“This is about putting the American people before big corporations,” said Heinrich said in a statement issued by his congressional office. “It’s time we put voters first and increase the transparency and disclosure of political spending.”

For more on the Udall-sponsored amendment (as well as a contrary opinion on the Citizens United case from the libertarian magazine and website Reason), click here.